You have got to be kidding me, Mr. Stern!
According to this report in the Arizona Republic and as reported on NBA.com, the NBA has fined Suns GM Steve Kerr $10k for this comment:
Appearing on "The Dan Patrick Show," Kerr was asked by Patrick if he could lump the Suns into the LeBron James sweepstakes.
Kerr laughed at the question and said, "Well, if he'll take mid-level, we'll give it to him, Dan," drawing a laugh from Patrick.
"What's mid-level for LeBron?" Patrick asked.
"About five and a half million," Kerr said. "I think he'll take it, don't you think?"
Of course, Kerr got off easy as compared to Frequent Fine Flyer Mark Cuban who was hit for a $100k for his public droll-fest recruitment of King James.
To clarify: Joking about LeBron taking the mid-level exception is only 10% as bad as Cuban's full-on tampering:
"Come July 1st, yeah, of course, anybody would be interested in LeBron James," Cuban said in the interview. "And if he leaves via free agency, then it's going to be tough. If he does like I'm guessing, hoping he will, which is say, 'I'm not going to leave the Cavs high and dry,' if he decides to leave -- there's still a better chance he stays -- then he'll try to force a sign-and-trade and that gives us a chance."
Got it?